Apparatus and method for delivering concrete and similar material to a selected point of use

ABSTRACT

This invention is both an apparatus and a method for delivering concrete and similar material from a material pump to any one of a plurality of points of use. It consists of a number of pipe sections connected to the material pump and leading over each point of use. Each pipe section over a point of use is provided with a downwardly, forwardly extending gate release valve, wherein one gate valve is opened at a time, while maintaining the other gate valves in closed position, so that the material is selectively delivered to one point of use at a time, and when sufficient material has been so delivered, such valve is closed and another valve is opened, so that the material is then delivered to the next selected point of use. The area of the selected point of use is enlarged by providing a chute or spout having its entrance mouth held about or encompassing the gate valve, being supported thereabout by a support extending over the delivery pipe at the valve area, the chute or spout having a movable discharge end which may be provided by making the spout or chute of flexible material, such as a suitable flexible plastic or fabric, or combination thereof.

United States Patent [72] lnventor [21 Appl. No. {22] Filed [45] Patented [54] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING CONCRETE AND SIMILAR MATERIAL TO A SELECTED POINT OF USE 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 137/1, 137/565, 251/145, 52/743 [51] Int. Cl .lE04g 21/04, F04b 41/00 [50] Field oi'Search 137/1, 253,

2,087,679 7/1937 Ball et a1 259/151 2,700,396 1/1955 Simmons..... 137/565 3,146,924 9/1964 Cozadd et a1 251/300X 3,409,334 11/1968 Schwing 302/64 Primary Examiner-William R. Cline Att0rney-Settle, Batchelder & Oltman ABSTRACT: This invention is both an apparatus and a method for delivering concrete and similar material from a material pump to any one of a plurality of points of use. It consists of a number of pipe sections connected to the material pump and leading over each point of use. Each pipe section over a point of use is provided with a downwardly, forwardly extending gate release valve, wherein one gate valve is opened at a time, while maintaining the other gate valves in closed position, so that the material is selectively delivered to one point of use at a time, and when sufficient material has been so delivered, such valve is closed and another valve is opened, so that the material is then deliveredto the next selected point of use. The area of the selected point of use is enlarged by providing a chute or spout having its entrance mouth held about or encompassing the gate valve, being supported thereabout by a support extending over the delivery pipe at the valve area, the chute or spout having a movable discharge end which may be provided by making the spout or chute of flexible material, such as a suitable flexible plastic or fabric, or combination thereof.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 867,303 10/1907 Robertson 251/300 1,250,918 12/1917 MacMichael... 259/151X 1,487,593 3/1924 Patton 251/146 1,923,678 8/1933 Lowell 251/300X 2,021,108 11/1935 Longenecker 138/92 I l c 20 i, 50 ,0 1,, 32 l 1 l "#0 l 1 //6 g -24 l FROM PUMP I2 PATENIED JAN 1 9197:

SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR Ben/0mm F. Allen ATTORNIiY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING CONCRETE AND SIMILAR MATERIAL TO A SELECTED POINT OF USE The method consists in assembling a series of pipes leading from the material pump to over the various points of use, providing and selectively using a gate release valve in each pipe section that is located over the one selected point of use, and enlarging the point of use by providing a flexible chute or spout about each release valve so that its discharge end may be extended over an enlargedarea of use.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Pumps for delivering concrete and similar materials to desired locations areusually connected by a pipe to near the form to, which the material is to be delivered, and connecting a rubber hose on the end of the pipe to direct the flow of the material, the rubber hose usually being twenty-five feet in length and requiring five to six men to handle in directing the delivery of the material; Also, the hose had to be reconnected several times during the course of a pour. An alternative method of delivering the material is by crane and bucket, which. is not as safe an operation since heavy leads are constantly being suspended over the heads of other craftsmen at work. Further, some areas are completely inaccessible by crane and bucket.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an improved pumping apparatus and method that eliminates tying up expensive equipment that frequently delays other work.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved material pumpingmethod and apparatus that needs only one operator at the point of delivery and use inplace of the five to six men previously used, andthus greatly reduce the cost of operation.

Still a further object of this invention is to considerably speedup the rate of delivery of the material to the point of use by more than fifty percent.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide readily connectable pipe sections from the pump to the point of use, including pipe sections having readily operable discharge valves, and providinga valved pipe section over eachpoint of use.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and methodfor delivery of the material from one pump successively to many different points of delivery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises the method of delivering the material to a succession of delivery points of use with a minimum of delay, andan apparatus consisting of a pump for concrete or similar materialanda sufficient number of readily connectable and disconnectable straight and curved pipe sections, including valved straight pipe sections, for an entire day's operation, andi'also one or more flexible plastic pour chutes. Thevalvedpipesections have a downwardly and forwardly extending, gate valve onthebottom side thereof and during operation, only one valve, at the point of delivery, is open at one time, the remaining valves being kept closeduntil a preceding pointofuse has been serviced. When one group of longitudinally spaced points of use have-been.serviced, that group of pipe sections, may be disconnected and a further group of pipe sections, already connected together and in proper position, are then connected asby a curvedpipe section or bend, so that the further group .ofipoints of use may then be serviced, and so on forthe restof the day. When a particular groupof pipe section has finished. its service for the day, it may be cleansed by useofwater and by blowing or forcing a cleaning plugtherethrough so that such sections may be takenapartand readied forthe next days use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention comprises the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth claimed and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the invention as connected I for pouring a plurality of vertical columns or walls.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the invention for pouring floors.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a valved straight pipe section of this invention on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIGS. 1 and 3, showing a Victrolic coupling.

FIGS. 5, 6 and7 are views on lines 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7 showing the gate valve in closed, partly open, and fully open positions.

FIG. 8 is a vertical section through :a valved pipe section on line 8-8 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION There is shown at 10 flow channels from the pump 12 to the points of delivery or use 14 or 18, such points of use, as here shown in FIG. I, as a form 16 supported on a previously formed floor 18, for molding a wall or column 20. While in FIG. 2, the flow channel is directed to forms 22 for pouring the floor 18.

The flow channel 10 consists of a number of readily connectable and disconnectable straight pipe sections 24, curved pipe sections or bends 26, and valved straight pipe section 28, each pipe section having flanged ends which cooperate with a Victrolic" coupling 32 for readily connecting or disconnecting the pipe sections 24, 26 and 28 to or from each other. The Victrolic coupling 32 is. well known, consisting of two inwardly extending semicircular channels 34 and 36 hinged together at 38. One channel 36 is provided with a handle 40 pivoted thereto at 42 and having camming boss 44 thereon for camming a cam 46 on the other channel 34 to force it to closed position, a locking pin 48 being inserted through the cam 46 and handle 40.

Each valved straight pipe section 28 is provided with a downwardly, forwardly (in the direction of flow) extending gate valve 50 welded thereto. This gate valve 50 consists of a valve tube 52 welded to the bottom of the pipe section 28 and provided with a semicircular slot through which a valve gate 54 having a valve handle 55 is pivoted on a pivot pin 56 secured through spaced ears 58 at one: end of the semicircular slot for pivoting the valve gate 54 from the closed position of FIG. 5 through the partly open position of FIG. 6 to the fully open position of FIG. 7, and vice versa. When delivery of material is desired, such delivery is restricted to one point of use 14 and 18 in one flow channel It) at one time, the other gate valves 50 in such flow channel 10 being kept closed.

In order to keep the aggregate from separating during delivery, and further to properly distribute the material over entire area of use 14, a flexible plastic chute 60 having a rigid rim 62is suspended, as by a releasable chain 64 over the pipe section 28, the rim being located about the gate valve 50 to receive the material therefrom and deliver it to any spot over which the attendant operator holds the bottom delivery end of the chute. When the forms 16 or 22 for the one point of use are filled, the chute 60is disconnected or moved, the valve gate 54 is moved to closed position, as in FIG. 5, and the next successive gate valve 50, with the chute 60 in position thereabout, is opened for delivery.

OPERATION OF INVENTION In operation, a sufficient number of subflow channels are set up to take care of the pour for an entire day. In FIG. 2, three subflow channels 66, 68 and 70 are shown. At the beginning, flow channel 10 from the pump is connected by its coupling 32 and the first curved pipe section or bend 26 is connected to subflow channel 66, and the successive gate valves in such subflow channels 66 are opened and then closed as described above until each set of longitudinally extending forms 22 thereunder are filled. Then, such first bend 26 is disconnected by its coupling 32 and the next straight pipe section 24 is then connected by the coupling 32, delivering the material to the second flow channel 68 until all its longitudinally spaced sets of forms 14 are filled. Then the second bend 26 is disconnected and the straight pipe section 24' of subchannel 70 is connected by the coupling32.

As each subchannel is finished in operation, it may be disassembled and cleaned, and then be either stored, or assembled for the next days pour, if he forms 22 are already set up therefor.

ABSTRACT OF DRAWING In the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts and, for the purposes of explication, marshalled below are the following reference characters of this apparatus and method for delivering cement and similar material to a selected point of use:

flow channel 12 pump 14 point of use for wall 16 form for wall 20 18 floor 20 wall or column 22 forms for floor 20 24 straight pipe section 26 curved pipe section or bend 28 valved straight pipe section 30 flanged pipe ends 32 Victrolic coupling 34 semicircular channel of 32 36 other semicircular channel of 32 38 pivot hinge for 34 and 36 40 handle for 32 42 pivot hinge 40 to 36 44 camming boss 46 cam on 34 48 locking pin 40 to 34 50 gate valve 52 valve tube 54 valve gate 55 handle for S4 56 pivot pin for 54 58 ears for 56 60 flexible plastic chute or spout 62 rigid rim of 60 64 chain for suspending 60 on 28 66 first subflow channel 68 second subflow channel 70 third subflow channel While the device has been shown and the structure described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in details and construction may be made therein within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit ofthis invention.

1 claim:

1. For use in combination with a pump for concrete and similar materials for delivering the material to different points of use, the improvement comprising a plurality of pipe sections readily connectable together and to the material pump and extending to and over one or more points of use, and a material release valve secured in one or more of the pipe sections at each point of use, said release valve comprising a relatively short conduit acutely angled to its pipe section to project therefrom in a downwardly and forwardly extending direction, and a manually operable valve gate adjacent the lower, forward extremity of said pipe sections.

2. In the combination of claim 1, and a directablc chute cooperating with said release valve, said chute being supported on the pipe section having said cooperating release valve.

3. ln a method of pouring concrete at a plurality of locations spaced from a single source of concrete under pressure, the steps of conducting concrete under pressure along a conduit overlying and traversing said locations, said conduit having a plurality of release openings in the bottom thereof, each such opening being located generally above one of said locations and between said location and said source, selectively individually opening and closing said openings to dispense concrete from said conduit to said locations, respectively, confining the flow of concrete from said conduit to each such opening to a path disposed at an acute angle to said conduit and inclined toward said locations, and dispensing the concrete to said locations in a trajectory fall from said path under the pressure of said concrete in said conduit.

4. The method of claim 3, and also providing a chute to the selected point of use, receiving the material from the chute and delivering it to the selected point of use.

5. In the method as defined in claim 3, the further step of confining and directing the trajectory fall of the concrete by a chute suspended from said conduit and surrounding the concrete issuing from said opening.

6. In an apparatus for pouring concrete at a plurality of locations spaced from a single source of concrete, means for pumping concrete under pressure through a conduit overlying said locations, a plurality of dependent angularly disposed dispensing valve conduit sections generally registering,

respectively, with said locations, said valve conduit sections each opening fully onto said conduit and inclining downwardly therefrom in the direction of flow of concrete through said conduit, and dispensing valve means adjacent the open, lower end of each of said sections, said valve means each including a rigid valve plate extending generally radially across said section and of an extent at least as great as that of said section, means supporting said plate for movement relative to said section to open and closed positions, means for moving said plate, and means supporting said plate against the pressure of concrete in said conduit and in said section when the plate is in its closed position.

7. In a method of pouring concrete at a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations remote from a concrete pump, the steps of pumping concrete under pressure through a conduit overlying and traversing said locations, interposing a plurality of inclined guide conduits in said conduit, said conduits respectively interposed between each of said locations and said pump, dispensing concrete from said conduit at one such location by flowing concrete through the one inclined conduit for said location, the concrete issuing from said one conduit in a trajectory direction inclining from said conduit forwardly in the direction of the flow of the concrete through the conduit and downwardly toward said location, and sequentially and individually repeating the dispensing step at each such location.

8. In an apparatus for dispensing concrete at a selected location along a pumping conduit filled with concrete under pressure by a concrete pump, the improvements of a dispensing valve comprising a conduit section adapted to be inserted into aid pumping conduit, an angularly directed gate valve extension welded to said conduit section to depend therefrom and having an open lower extremity extending in the direction of flow of concrete through the conduit section, a valve plate adjacent the open lower extremity of said valve extension, means on said valve extension pivotally securing said plate thereto for movement between a closedposition blocking the open lower extremity of said valve extension and an open position, and means carried by said plate for actuating the plate between said positions. 

2. In the combination of claim 1, and a directable chute cooperating with said release valve, said chute being supported on the pipe section having said cooperating release valve.
 3. In a method of pouring concrete at a plurality of locations spaced from a single source of concrete under pressure, the steps of conducting concrete under pressure along a conduit overlying and traversing said locations, said conduit having a plurality of release openings in the bottom thereof, each such opening being located generally above one of said locations and between said location and said source, selectively individually opening and closing said openings to dispense concrete from said conduit to said locations, respectively, confining the flow of concrete from said conduit to each such opening to a path disposed at an acute angle to said conduit and inclined toward said locations, and dispensing the concrete to said locations in a trajectory fall from said path under the pressure of said concrete in said conduit.
 4. The method of claim 3, and also providing a chute to the selected point of use, receiving the material from the chute and delivering it to the selected point of use.
 5. In the method as defined in claim 3, the further step of confining and directing the trajectory fall of the concrete by a chute suspended from said conduit and surrounding the concrete issuing from said opening.
 6. In an apparatus for pouring concrete at a plurality of locations spaced from a single source of concrete, means for pumping concrete under pressure through a conduit overlying said locations, a plurality of dependent angularly disposed dispensing valve conduit sections generally registering, respectively, with said locations, said valve conduit sections each opening fully onto said conduit and inclining downwardly therefrom in the direction of flow of concrete through said conduit, and dispensing valve means adjacent the open, lower end of each of said sections, said valve means each including a rigid valve plate extending generally radially across said section and of an extent at least as great as that of said section, means supporting said plate for movement relative to said section to open and closed positions, means for moving said plate, and means supporting said plate against the pressure of concrete in said conduit and in said section when the plate is in its closed position.
 7. In a method of pouring concrete at a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations remote from a concrete pump, the steps of pumping concrete under pressure through a conduit overlying and traversing said locations, interposing a plurality of inclined guide conduits in said conduit, said conduits respectively interposed between each of said locations and said pump, dispensing concrete from said conduit at one such location by flowing concrete through the one inclined conduit for said location, the concrete issuing from said one conduit in a trajectory direction inclining from said conduit forwardly in the direction of the flow of the concrete through the conduit and downwardly toward said location, and sequentially and individually repeating the dispensing step at each such location.
 8. In an apparatus for dispensing concrete at a selected location along a pumping conduit filled with concrete under pressure by a concrete pump, the improvements of a dispensing valve comprising a conduit section adapted to be inserted into aid pumping conduit, an angularly directed gate valve extension welded to said conduit section to depend therefrom and having an open Lower extremity extending in the direction of flow of concrete through the conduit section, a valve plate adjacent the open lower extremity of said valve extension, means on said valve extension pivotally securing said plate thereto for movement between a closed position blocking the open lower extremity of said valve extension and an open position, and means carried by said plate for actuating the plate between said positions. 